I think the most important man in Pakistan at the moment is not Kayani or Musharraf, but Zardari. Pakistan has witnessed a most amazing transformation in Zardari, since 27^th of December: from thief to statesman. He has made excellent political decisions, including trying to make peace with the MQM. I think the MQM were taken by surprise, as they started distancing themselves from Musharraf and talking of all the questions about 12^th of May not having been answered, (implying that it was the army, not them, responsible for the carnage.) Zardari’s coalition with Nawaz Sharif, in spite of Musharraf’s manoeuvrings was a great decision, as was Nawaz Sharif’s decision to accept the right of the PPP to form the Government. (Think what Pakistan’s history would be like if Bhutto had accepted that Mujeeb ur Rehman had the right to form the Government, and Mujeeb had offered him the post of Prime Minister.) More...

By Omar Ali 

Recent events in Pakistan show that our worst fears may have been correct and musharraf and his agents in Karachi (or is it the other way round?) will not allow any peaceful transition to democracy. (some people may prefer to frame this as "Pakistanis in general are not ready for democracy"., but considering the mess the army has made in 50 years of army rule, its not clear how all pakistanis or "democracy" can be blamed equally for this mess). Imagine, if the establishment had quietly accepted the results of the last polls, what would we have seen? New governments would have been in place by now. PPP in Sindh, PPP led coalitions in Federal and Balochistan, PMLN led coalition in Punjab and ANP led coalition in Pakhtunkhwa. More...

By Rukhe Zehra Zaidi 

Pakistan had taken sides in a foreign war at the behest of a military dictator. We offered our proxy support, on behalf of America and financed, radicalized and trained a group of mostly poor and ignorant men. Armed with weapons and a reason to fight they were successful in achieving a military objective. For us any reason they had to fight was welcome as long as it helped us in winning the war. In the words of Sarah Humayun, ‘We might not have believed in their brand of Islam, but we could ignore the gulf between it and the variety commonly practiced in the larger interest of fostering a sense of solidarity between the puppets and the puppeteers’. More...

By Hakim Hazik 

Steelman; Dear Brother, let me put a mark on your forehead, with the ashes of the NAB, to ward off the evil eye. Fortune has favoured you. You have seen the coronation of Bilawal, won the elections, seen off the challenge by the pretender Amin Fahim and Judge Dogar is hoovering up the remaining cases. Every reason to be pleased Brother. More...

Transcultural Dialogues 

By Hakim Hazik 

Gen. (Retd.) Tinpot: O Master, O Lord, O Chaudhry of the State Department and of the Empire, hallowed be the ground you walk on. Welcome to this land and this fiefdom.   More...

Transcultural Dialogues

by Hakim Hazik 

(Trrrrrn Trrrrrrrn .........)

Il Leader: Edgware High Street Pizza Shop, Quaid-e-Tehrik ispeaking, via telephonic address, how may I help you?

Customer: Can I order a deep pan, extra large, ultra hot, Sicilian please.

Il Leader: Would you like extra toppings sir, we do from extra hot jalapenos to gunpowder. We also have ispecially imported Hamdard Corporation soup, Takbeer Publications ketchup and Edhi Foundation chutney. More...

By Mohammad Ayub 

People are foolish

They will be scared,

They will never ask questions,

They will always follow orders.

Where are the wise men,

Who gave this counsel?

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By Hakim Hazik 

The spring of 2007 led to a long hot summer. It led to the conflagration that left the remaining credibility and legitimacy of the establishment a smoking hulk. Was it just Pervez Musharraf’s bad luck that he ran into a recalcitrant and peevish judge, prone to unpredictable tantrums? Was it just unfortunate that the thugs of Islamabad police were caught on camera roughing up the Chief Justice, leading to the public outrage? Or was there something more fundamental that had changed to lead to this outcome?

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